To most Afghans, the face of Farida Tarana, 27, evokes her tumultuous 2006 ascent to the No. 8 position on the widely watched local version of American Idol.
Source: Time
- She was the first female competitor from the conservative western province of Herat, and while she charmed audiences nationwide with her joyful renditions of classic Afghan songs, she was persecuted by conservatives for daring to break cultural taboos against women singing in public.
- These days, however, her face, emblazoned on election posters and billboards across Kabul, symbolizes the shattering of new barriers: popularly elected women in politics.
- Last week it was announced that Tarana had been elected to the 29-seat Kabul Provincial Council (akin to a U.S. state legislature), winning with the second highest number of votes - 8,404 - out of a field of 524 candidates.
- "When I competed for Afghan Star, I wanted to prove that a woman from Herat could sing," says Tarana, adjusting her trademark stylish rectangular glasses. "Now that I have been elected to the provincial council, I will prove to people that a lady who can sing can be in politics as well."
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